Sins of the Past
by mascaret
Summary: Some people learn from their mistakes. Others just repeat them.


A/N Thanks Maria!  
  
"Minerva, are you sure this is what you want? Just a small gathering with only the very closest of our family and friends?"  
  
"Albus, I've already told you, _you_ are all that I want."  
  
He waved his hand to remove the table and their abandoned Parcheesi game. With that barrier no longer between them, he took her hands into his. "I know my dear, it is just that I don't want you to have any regrets afterwards."  
  
"Albus, will you be there?"  
  
"Naturally, I believe it to be customary for the groom to be in attendance."  
  
"Will I get to marry you?"  
  
"That _has been_ the plan all along."  
  
"Well than what more could I possibly want?" With that question she put a kiss on the tip of his nose.  
  
Albus smiled. "It's just that I know how important this day is to a woman. I want it to be perfect for you."  
  
"Albus, a large wedding really does not interest me. It would require a great deal more planning and delay, which I could just as soon do without. I do not want to wait any longer than I absolutely have to to be Mrs. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. If, however, it is you who have a desire for a larger wedding, speak now or forever hold your peace."  
  
Albus chuckled. "No, my dear, I have, as they say, been down that route before. A small wedding as soon as the wedding banns have been properly announced would suit me just fine."  
  
"Good." She smiled. "I suspect it may be a bit too late to get them placed in this evening's edition of the Daily Prophet, but if we send an owl now it might make the morning edition."  
  
Albus looked out of the window at the moonlit night sky with a smile. "Yes, perhaps just a bit late for the evening edition."  
  
More seriously, he continued. "Actually, I would like to wait a few more days before we make a public announcement...I haven't told my ex-wife and son about our intentions yet."  
  
Seeing Minerva's hurt expression, he quickly set about trying to explain. "I wanted to tell them in person; Floo or owl seemed too impersonal. But they haven't been terribly easy to pin down of late. I haven't actually seen either since the graduation from Beauxbatons."  
  
The fault lay entirely with him. He really had no business getting married the first time. He simply hadn't been at a time or a place in his life where he could be a good husband, and certainly not a good father. It wasn't until his wife had left him, not for another man but just simply to leave him, that he had finally realized that. A lot of things had changed since then, not the least of which was him. He was determined not to repeat the same mistakes with Minerva.  
  
Since the divorce, his ex-wife and he were on civil enough speaking terms, but his son had long despised him for the pain he had caused his mother. Suffice it to say he had been looking forward to the chance to rebuild bridges when the boy came to Hogwarts for schooling. He had instead been grievously disappointed to find that the boy adamantly refused to enroll at Hogwarts. Despite her own very justified misgivings towards him, his ex- wife too had been eager to see an improvement in relationship between father and son. But even her pleas on his behalf had done nothing to change the boy's mind. In the end, Albus had had no choice but to relent. He made arrangements for him to learn French and be educated at the other Wizarding school.  
  
"I do have a meeting planned to tell my ex-wife, tomorrow in Diagon Alley. I'm hopeful that she will have some ideas on how best to break the news to our son."  
  
Minerva shifted in her chair uncomfortably, but nodded.  
  
"The delay will only be a few days at most."  
  
She didn't look at him, but she nodded. "I know."  
  
Again looking out the window at the moon, Albus rose from his seat. "I really must be returning to my rooms now."  
  
"You don't _have_ to."  
  
"No, but I should."  
  
"You know, I really never could understand why they made all the beds in the school king sized. They are simply too large for one person; they just seem to cry out for sharing."  
  
This was a discussion that they had already had more than a few times. "Minerva, I want the moment to be special."  
  
That got him an arched eyebrow. "Isn't every moment with me special?"  
  
He kissed her hand. "You know that it is, but that is to be our first time together. Your first time. I think we should do things properly. Let's wait for our wedding night."  
  
Minerva's eyes took on an extremely calculating look. "You want the entire event of our wedding to be perfect, don't you? Then don't you think we should practice for the wedding night?"  
  
He smiled at her cheek. "Believe me, it will all be easy enough to pick up on once we start."  
  
"Yes, but the sooner we start, the better it will be. Practice makes, if not perfect, certainly better. If we are to be married in a few weeks let's not wait. Unless of course, you_ still_ have some lingering doubts and are planning on leaving me at the altar..." She teasingly turned away from him as she trailed off.  
  
He put his hand under her chin to turn her face, and more importantly her eyes, to again meet his. "Sorry, fresh out of doubts. You won't be getting rid of me that easily again."  
  
She stared him down as though it were a dare and not an impossibly irresistible invitation. "Then share my bed tonight."  
  
He enveloped her in his arms and rested his chin against her forehead. "You can't keep tempting me like this. You really mustn't."  
  
He lowered his head to gently kiss her on the mouth just once. The way her mouth tried to follow after his as he pulled away, coupled with the disappointed look in her eyes, weakened what little resolve he had left.  
  
He kissed her hand chastely one last time before happily capitulating. "Do with me what you will."  
  
Taking hold of both his hands, she smiled and led him towards the door to her bedroom.  
  
A/N This one very clearly has the makings of being a multi part fic, but I think it can also stand on its own well enough for the time being. May or may not be continuing it.

Btw can anyone tell me why half the paragraph indentations were removed when I uploaded this story to ffn? If they were all lost I wouldn't feel so completely lost, but only half were removed. It's been happening with a lot of my works done in Word format. Any ideas?

For those wondering, I'm working on typing up chapter fifty-one of PM&T. I appreciate all those who have taken time to leave comments and I am taking what has been said under advisement.


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